Arch Manning's recruitment is still wide open, as the No. 1 quarterback in the 2023 recruiting class hasn't yet decided where he is going to play college football. However, it certainly seems like Georgia will be among the finalists for his services.
Georgia, the reigning national champions, has been one of the many schools in pursuit of Manning during his recruitment. The QB from New Orleans' Isidore Newman School attended a Bulldogs game last season, their victory over South Carolina, and also visited the campus in mid-March.
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So far, Manning has been impressed with the school both on and off the field and is effusive in his praise of the Georgia program.
"Athens is probably the best college town I’ve ever been to," Manning told McClain Baxley of the Athens Banner-Herald. "I love coach Kirby (Smart) and he’s a real normal guy, a great coach. Georgia, the takeaway from practice there, is that they have athletes all over the field, especially on the defensive line. They have some studs and it shows: they had 15 players drafted."
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Certainly, Manning's praise is a good sign for Georgia as the Bulldogs look to land their seventh five-star quarterback since 2000. That said, they still have competition for his services; both Alabama and Texas are expected to be in the mix for Manning while the young quarterback is also hoping to take visits to LSU and Florida over the summer.
It seems likely that Manning will continue the family tradition of attending an SEC school. His grandfather and namesake Archie, father Cooper and uncle Eli went to Ole Miss, while his other uncle Peyton starred at Tennessee. Still, there's a reason that Manning hasn't yet decided where he is going to play.
"If I was ready I’d commit right now I would, so I’m just waiting," Manning said. “I want to get through this spring with this new offense and new coaches (at Newman), so after spring I’m gonna see about the official visits."
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So, while Georgia can feel optimistic that it is among the favorites to land Manning, the Bulldogs still haven't brought home 2023's biggest prize just yet. They have work to do and may have to tap into some NIL resources to win any potential recruiting battle involving Manning.
